Читать книгу A Companion to Greek Warfare - Группа авторов - Страница 58

Culturally, the Sicilian poleis formed part of the Greek world, as illustrated by their regular participation in the Olympic Games and their votive dedications at Panhellenic sanctuaries on the Greek mainland. Alliances and collaboration with mainland Greek powers were nevertheless rare, even as late as the early fifth century, when envoys of a Greek confederation asked Gelon for help in the war against the Persian Empire. Gelon offered generous support only on the condition that he become the leading commander of the Greek forces. After the Spartans and Athenians categorically denied his request, he remained uninvolved, but sent to Delphi a delegation with gifts for Xerxes, in case of a Persian victory (Hdt. 7.158–163).

During the Peloponnesian War, a Syracusan fleet under Hermocrates fought as a Spartan ally against the Athenians in Asia Minor (Thuc. 8.26), in recompense for Spartan aid under the general Gylippus during the Athenian siege of Syracuse several years earlier (see the subsection on Athens). Since the fleet participated in several battles on the Hellespont with limited success, then was destroyed in the Battle of Cyzicus in 410, Hermocrates was relieved of his command and sent into exile (Xen. Hell. 1.1.18).

More than a century later, Agathocles assisted the inhabitants of Corcyra against the Macedonian King Cassander (Diod. Sic. 21.2). The ulterior motive of his intervention, however, was the offer of the island as dowry to King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who married Agathocles’ daughter, Lanassa (Plut. Pyrrh. 9).